DRINKING WATER
7 Challenges Municipal Water Treatment Professionals Are Facing And How To Solve Them
Solutions that offer instant, chemical-free disinfection, manage costs, handle high organic loads, and control emerging contaminants are defining the path forward for water facilities.
DRINKING WATER CASE STUDIES AND WHITE PAPERS
-
![EZ_Valve_installed_to_maintain_medical_districts_water_supply-3]( "EZ Valve Installed To Maintain Medical District's Water Supply")
EZ Valve Installed To Maintain Medical District's Water SupplyWhen a North Texas city identified the need to create a permanent control point as well as isolate an area so a repair could be made to a water main, they called on Texas Hot Taps for a solution.
-
High Efficiency Media Filtration And Ultraviolet (UV) Disinfection Is Becoming A Crucial Component For Today's Cooling Tower Needs
An increasing number of technology industries are turning to cooling towers to remove excess heat from buildings or processes. Server farms or server clusters are typically located between the system switches and routers, the removal of heat from these facilities is critical to their optimal performance.
-
![LombardiCS]( "Chicago Suburb Ensures Highest Water Quality Year-Round, Saves On Labor And Reagents With New Chlorine Analyzers")
Chicago Suburb Ensures Highest Water Quality Year-Round, Saves On Labor And Reagents With New Chlorine AnalyzersFor the Village of Lombard’s Water Division, consistently delivering high-quality tap water to the community’s nearly 44,000 residents and the businesses serving them was once quite a juggling act: constantly fixing old, temperamental analyzers; feeding reagents into the old analyzers; and staying ahead of callers complaining about “musty” water tastes and odors. Not today.
-
Known For “Healing Waters,” Pagosa Springs Restores Its Potable Water System With Help From SolarBee® Mixers
Located in the high desert plateau of southwestern Colorado, Pagosa Springs is famous for its geothermal hot springs, which draw visitors worldwide to soak in the mineral-rich water. The Utes called the sulfur springs “Pah-gosah,” meaning “healing waters.” You might say the town’s potable water system is healed now as well.
-
![Using AMERICAN Products, Champlain, NY, Prepares For Business Boom Near US/Canadian Border]( "Using AMERICAN Products, Champlain, NY, Prepares For Business Boom Near US/Canadian Border")
Using AMERICAN Products, Champlain, NY, Prepares For Business Boom Near US/Canadian BorderA key driver of economic development is the availability of water and wastewater services. For the Town and Village of Champlain, NY, this is no exception. To capitalize on the region’s economic potential and make more land available for new businesses, the Town and Village of Champlain are working together on the Shared Water Project, a major water system upgrade that includes installing 44,000 feet of AMERICAN ductile iron pipe.
-
![walla-walla]( "Walla Walla, Washington, Extends Water Loss Control Efforts With Xylem")
Walla Walla, Washington, Extends Water Loss Control Efforts With XylemIn Walla Walla, Washington, the Sensus Smart Utility Network set the foundation for lasting improvement.
-
![SPIE Photonics West 1200x630]( "Spotlight On Reclaimed Water Regulations: California")
Spotlight On Reclaimed Water Regulations: CaliforniaTechnological advancements play a crucial role in shaping reclaimed water regulations, as new methods for treating and reusing wastewater emerge.
-
![Reducing Costs]( "Reducing Costs For Water Distribution System Maintenance")
Reducing Costs For Water Distribution System MaintenanceMaintaining a water distribution system requires constant management. From leaking pipes to broken valves or even distribution expansion, there always seems to be something to do and you will never be short of work. But, are “old” ways of performing maintenance and repair creating unnecessary costs?
-
![GettyImages-1167498174_450_300]( "The Intersections Of Technology And Sustainability")
The Intersections Of Technology And SustainabilityProperly leveraging the right technologies can help water utilities achieve their sustainability goals by balancing three conflicting goals: social, economic, and environmental priorities.
-
![multi_barrierdrinkingwaterdisinfectionnewyorkcitycasestudy-3]( "Multi-Barrier Treatment Strategy - New York City")
Multi-Barrier Treatment Strategy - New York CityNew York City is home to more than 8 million people, making it the most populous city in the United States. The majority of New York's drinking water is supplied by the Catskill/Delaware watershed, located approximately 100 miles outside the city. Historically, NYC has not filtered the water from this system, nor did they require any additional barriers to microbial contaminants due to the pristine nature of the watershed.
DRINKING WATER APPLICATION NOTES
-
Reducing And Reusing Water In Steel Manufacturing2/28/2022
The art of manufacturing steel for industries is well over 100 years old. Within this time, the steel business has fulfilled consumer needs, including construction, transportation, and manufacturing. The steel manufacturing process is quite intensive as it requires a lot of water to cool down the application. Steel plants constantly look for strategies that can help sustain the steel for a longer time by efficiently improving water and energy consumption.
-
Dosing Of Sodium Hypochlorite Solution For Drinking Water Disinfection9/22/2022
A water purveyor was in urgent need of a chemically resistant flow instrumentation with a long life of service that allowed reliable and long-term stable dosing of the sodium hypochlorite solution.
-
Application Note: Turbidity Monitoring In Drinking Water Treatment Plants8/30/2005
Turbidity, or the relative clarity of a liquid (in this case drinking water), is caused by the presence of microscopic particles such as clay, silt, or other fine undissolved matter
-
Waste Technologies Transform Problems To Profit9/8/2015
Anaerobic digestion processes that radically improve the quality of wastewater while delivering green energy extracted from biological waste streams are emerging as a profitable way for agricultural and food processing industries cope with the twin impact of drought and pollution challenges.
-
Background And Summary Of Tests For The 2000PV Restraint4/13/2021
The 2000PV is a restraint for PVC pipe and the standardized mechanical joint. This product is the result of years of testing and evaluation and its performance has been proven by thousands of hours of proof tests, as well as third-party evaluations. This report describes the 2000PV through the 12" size.
-
Application Note: Using Real-Time Telemetry For Ecological Monitoring Of Coastal Wetlands2/3/2011The Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR)in Mississippi is one of 27 protected estuarine reserves across the United States. By YSI
-
Immediate pH Correction For Fluctuating Flow2/19/2014
In a number of water, wastewater and industrial process applications, pH is one of the most critical and highly sensitive analytical measurements. Examples of critical pH applications include: Reverse Osmosis (RO) systems in which a controlled feed of caustic solution is typically added to the feed stream in order to convert a portion of dissolved carbon dioxide into bicarbonate precipitate allowing for removal by the RO membrane. By Rafik H. Bishara, Steve Jacobs, and Dan Bell
-
Activated Carbon And Adsorption Of Trichloroethylene (TCE) And Tetrachloroethylene (PCE)12/30/2013
Trichloroethylene (TCE) and Tetrachloroethylene (PCE) are two of the most common solvents that contaminate groundwater supplies in the United States. Both solvents see frequent use in the extraction of fat, in the textile industry, in the production of various pharmaceutical and chemical products. TCE is also used as a degreaser from fabricated metal parts, and PCE serves as a component of aerosol dry-cleaning solvents.
-
Optimization Of Water Treatment Using Zeta Potential5/27/2020
Drinking water in the US and developed nations of the world is treated to remove contamination of foreign materials, both mineral and organic.
-
Process Optimization For Flow Measurement4/29/2021
The Saalfeld-Rudolfstadt Association in Germany must rely on cutting-edge technologies that optimize flow measurement in order to allow for smooth processes and supply 82,000 inhabitants with clean drinking water.
DRINKING WATER PRODUCTS
The WATERFLUX 3050 is an electromagnetic flowmeter (EMF) for basic water applications. It offers cost-effective flow measurement in applications where extremely high accuracy, extensive diagnostics or a wide range of digital communication options are not a priority. Its measuring tube with a rectangular and reduced cross-section enables a stable measurement even at low flow rates. Due to the optimized flow profile, the meter is practically independent of interferences from the installation environment. It can be installed virtually anywhere without straight inlet or outlet runs – behind pipe bends, slide valves or a reduction in the pipe.
The DR6000™ is the industry’s most advanced laboratory spectrophotometer for water testing. It offers high-speed wavelength scanning across the UV and Visible Spectrum, and comes with over 250 pre-programmed methods including the most common water and environmental testing methods used today.
The flowIQ 2200 water meter has a state-of-the-art built-in leak detection that delivers uncompromising accuracy. Great for households, multi-unit buildings and industry.
Meeting the demand for clean water has never been more challenging. Communities around the world are facing a growing water stress – an insufficient supply, in terms of water quality or water quantity – and often both. Many are turning to potable reuse and drinking water remediation to meet these demands. The TrojanUVFlex®AOP can be part of the solution. This UV advanced oxidation system destroys a range of chemical contaminants while simultaneously providing final treatment, helping municipalities relying on lower quality water sources to continue producing high-quality potable drinking water.
The Series 2000PV MEGALUG Mechanical Joint Restraint is the fastest and most economical method of restraining PVC pipe to mechanical joints. It can be used with C900, C905 or IPS OD PVC pipe. For sizes 42 through 48 inch See Series 2200
Adjusting chemical dose based on flow or setting a fixed chemical dose can be very expensive. With a system that provides Real-Time Control, you can significantly lower chemical costs, quickly adjust for loading changes, and enjoy the peace of mind in knowing your effluent phosphorus levels are within permit range.
LATEST INSIGHTS ON DRINKING WATER
-
![PFAS Label on hundred dollar bill-GettyImages-2193126716]( "PFAS Settlements: Debunking The Myths And Revealing What's Really At Stake For Water Utilities")
Misinformation and confusion could prevent some utilities from benefitting from the aqueous film-forming foam multidistrict litigation (AFFF MDL) settlements. Here are five common myths about the AFFF MDL PFAS settlements and how public water systems can make the most of this unprecedented funding opportunity.
-
![0421_Honduras_Barrio El Rosario-0030]( "Safe Sanitation For Students: 2025 World Toilet Day")
Every year on November 19, Water Mission observes World Toilet Day — a day designated by the United Nations to focus on the importance of safe sanitation for all.
-
![energy flow, data transmission, technological connectivity-GettyImages-2240709017]( "2026 Water Utility Outlook: Regulation, AI, And Resilience In The Face Of Scarcity")
Global Water Outcomes expert notes that “water utilities are facing unprecedented challenges and opportunities,” citing the role of digital solutions moving forward. -
![running faucet-GettyImages-175426122]( "HAAs In The EU: Monitoring For Haloacetic Acids Under The Drinking Water Directive")
In this Q&A, Dr. Elke Süss of Metrohm addresses the urgent need for haloacetic acid testing in response to “one of the most significant updates to EU drinking water monitoring in recent years.” -
![clean, safe water with AI-GettyImages-1314144773]( "Collaborating To Execute The AI-Water Nexus")
Amazon and Xylem partner to tackle Mexico’s leaking water systems as the country balances water scarcity and a growing tech sector.
-
![hands holding water drop-GettyImages-1412243977]( "Reshaping Resilience: How Tech Giants And Utilities Are Confronting The Global Water Crisis")
Water scarcity is increasingly impacting sectors from agriculture and energy to urban planning and high-tech manufacturing. Recently, industry leaders gathered to explore how new technologies and complex industrial demands are forcing a fundamental rethinking of water infrastructure.
DRINKING WATER VIDEOS
Out of sight, the country’s underground water infrastructure is aging and failing. In this interview, AMERICAN’s Derek Scott and Maury Gaston discuss the problem, challenges facing cities, and the latest technologies for providing and protecting one of our most precious resources — water.
ABOUT DRINKING WATER
In most developed countries, drinking water is regulated to ensure that it meets drinking water quality standards. In the U.S., the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administers these standards under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA).
Drinking water considerations can be divided into three core areas of concern:
- Source water for a community’s drinking water supply
- Drinking water treatment of source water
- Distribution of treated drinking water to consumers
Drinking Water Sources
Source water access is imperative to human survival. Sources may include groundwater from aquifers, surface water from rivers and streams and seawater through a desalination process. Direct or indirect water reuse is also growing in popularity in communities with limited access to sources of traditional surface or groundwater.
Source water scarcity is a growing concern as populations grow and move to warmer, less aqueous climates; climatic changes take place and industrial and agricultural processes compete with the public’s need for water. The scarcity of water supply and water conservation are major focuses of the American Water Works Association.
Drinking Water Treatment
Drinking Water Treatment involves the removal of pathogens and other contaminants from source water in order to make it safe for humans to consume. Treatment of public drinking water is mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the U.S. Common examples of contaminants that need to be treated and removed from water before it is considered potable are microorganisms, disinfectants, disinfection byproducts, inorganic chemicals, organic chemicals and radionuclides.
There are a variety of technologies and processes that can be used for contaminant removal and the removal of pathogens to decontaminate or treat water in a drinking water treatment plant before the clean water is pumped into the water distribution system for consumption.
The first stage in treating drinking water is often called pretreatment and involves screens to remove large debris and objects from the water supply. Aeration can also be used in the pretreatment phase. By mixing air and water, unwanted gases and minerals are removed and the water improves in color, taste and odor.
The second stage in the drinking water treatment process involves coagulation and flocculation. A coagulating agent is added to the water which causes suspended particles to stick together into clumps of material called floc. In sedimentation basins, the heavier floc separates from the water supply and sinks to form sludge, allowing the less turbid water to continue through the process.
During the filtration stage, smaller particles not removed by flocculation are removed from the treated water by running the water through a series of filters. Filter media can include sand, granulated carbon or manufactured membranes. Filtration using reverse osmosis membranes is a critical component of removing salt particles where desalination is being used to treat brackish water or seawater into drinking water.
Following filtration, the water is disinfected to kill or disable any microbes or viruses that could make the consumer sick. The most traditional disinfection method for treating drinking water uses chlorine or chloramines. However, new drinking water disinfection methods are constantly coming to market. Two disinfection methods that have been gaining traction use ozone and ultra-violet (UV) light to disinfect the water supply.
Drinking Water Distribution
Drinking water distribution involves the management of flow of the treated water to the consumer. By some estimates, up to 30% of treated water fails to reach the consumer. This water, often called non-revenue water, escapes from the distribution system through leaks in pipelines and joints, and in extreme cases through water main breaks.
A public water authority manages drinking water distribution through a network of pipes, pumps and valves and monitors that flow using flow, level and pressure measurement sensors and equipment.
Water meters and metering systems such as automatic meter reading (AMR) and advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) allows a water utility to assess a consumer’s water use and charge them for the correct amount of water they have consumed.